The mother of running back recruit Alex Collins hired a law firm to "represent the family's interests" just as her son signed with Arkansas. / Jim Rassol, Sun Sentinel

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

While Plantation (Fla.) running back Alex Collins was able to have his father sign his National Letter of Intent, allowing the five-star recruit to join Arkansas' 2013 recruiting class, his strange recruitment might have one more hurdle to overcome.

Shortly before Collins' announcement Thursday, a law firm announced that his mother, Andrea McDonald, had retained its services "to represent the family's interests" as she contemplated her son's athletic future.

McDonald's representation, The Cochran Firm, was founded by attorney Johnnie Cochran, who famously represented O.J. Simpson in his 1995 murder trial. Theoretically, the firm could attempt to invalidate the letter of intent Collins and his father submitted to Arkansas.

"Our client's initial intentions remain unchanged," Jack Paris, McDonald's attorney, said in a statement. "She is a loving and caring mother who only wants her son to choose a university without any outside and inappropriate influences. Ms. McDonald hopes all NCAA rules and regulations were followed during today's signing."

A prospect younger than 21 cannot submit an official, binding letter of intent without a legal guardian's signature. Collins was prevented from signing with Arkansas on Wednesday after his mother confiscated his signing papers and disappeared. His mother preferred that Collins stay closer to home and choose Miami (Fla.), where he was once verbally committed.

While McDonald's legal team could attempt to nullify Collins' letter of intent, doing so wouldn't have an impact on the running back's commitment, said John Infante, the former assistant director of compliance at Colorado State University who runs the Bylaw Blog for AthleticScholarships.net.

"When kids sign they sign two documents at one time: the NLI (National Letter of Intent) and the scholarship agreement, which have to come together," Infante said.

"Basically, the scholarship agreement binds the school to the player. The NLI binds the player to the school. So as long as he has a valid scholarship agreement and applies to and is admitted to Arkansas, he's going to get his scholarship to go to Arkansas."

The school told USA TODAY Sports that Collins and his father signed and sent over to Arkansas both a letter of intent and a scholarship agreement.

Even if McDonald successfully invalidated her son's National Letter of Intent, all that would mean is that Collins would no longer be bound by the document. "It wouldn't prevent him from attending Arkansas," Infante said.